Head of Top Priority Security Services, Mr Lesmore Smith said vendors were the hardest to deal with during this year’s Emancipation Festival activities. Photo: VINO/File

Mr Smith indicated that vendors often disregarded the rules in place whereby there was a time-frame during which they had to enter and a limit to the number of persons that were able to enter in any given vehicle with the necessary passes issued. Photo: VINO

“Being one of the security providers for the different [Festival] Villages, we were responsible mainly for the gate operations, screening personnel and vehicles that came in,” he disclosed during an exclusive interview with Virgin Islands News Online. The Top Priority boss described this as being a task in itself as cooperation from people in any industry is usually the hardest to deal with.

“The cooperation from personnel, especially from the vendors coming on to the premises, [was] the most serious challenge,” Smith stated about the festival which lasted from July 25 - August 10, 2013.

He indicated that vendors often disregarded the rules in place whereby there was a time-frame during which they had to enter and a limit to the number of persons that were able to enter in any given vehicle with the necessary passes issued. 

“They want to bring in a whole entourage in the vehicle,” he noted.

Mr Smith also said some vendors were reluctant to be searched at the entry gates.

He reasoned that there would always be some sort of conflict or misunderstanding in these types of events but he advised that the response time of authorities or law enforcement groups tasked with security was always important in this context. 

The head of the security firm advised though, that having been there for a number of years, it was understandable that with each passing year, new security measures needed to be implemented and should be accompanied by an increased level of pro-activity to ensure that the measures are adhered to.

According to the Top Priority Boss, there were three other security agencies engaged at the various villages during the Festival Season.

Smith told Virgin Islands News Online he was pleased with the level of cooperation between the law enforcement and different security entities along with the VI Festival & Fairs Committee (VIF&FC). “I think that has played a significant role in terms of ensuring that things happened,” he added. 

He also praised the fact that there were no reported altercations during the Rise & Shine Tramp held in Road Town and stated that all hands were on deck and security had been a well-coordinated affair for that event. “It shows that when people combine they can do great things,” Smith offered.